LOVE WARRIOR NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!

LOVE WARRIOR NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!

Get G in Your Inbox!

GLENNON
DOYLE

The One Mantra You Need to Survive Summer

July 28, 2015

At the start of every summer I feel overly hopeful and enthusiastic. I decide that this summer I will be SUPER MOM and the kids and I will plan educational field trips and do crafts and science experiments and something about s’mores and water balloons and making memories!!! It will be just like summer camp at our house. We will totally Carpe Diem the whole summer long! But then summer starts, and I remember, swiftly, that with young children it is really quite hard to carpe fifteen minutes in a row – much less an entire diem. And then I remember that I forgot to actually think of any crafts and that blowing up water balloons and handing them to small people to throw at each other never ends well for anyone. The IDEA of family things is just so, so far from ACTUAL family things. So very far.

Last year, twelve minutes into the first day of summer, Craig walked into the kitchen and two of my three kids were crying and we’d already run out of fun summer activities. In twelve minutes. And so I looked at Craig and said, “You know what is so much better than “just like summer camp?” ACTUAL SUMMER CAMP.”

I know they say money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy ACTUAL SUMMER CAMP and after a week I was unable to detect any difference.

And so, off they went every morning while Craig and I stayed home to work. We picked them up each day at 3:00pm and we were really glad to see them — but I’ll just go ahead and mention that 3:00pm ’till bedtime is still a really long time, especially because our girls were in FIGHT CLUB MODE that summer. No happy moment left behind. All fighting, all day. All my signs that say LOVE WINS and WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER and all my standing on the couch and yelling “MOMMY IS TRYING TO START A LOVE REVOLUTION! GET. ON. THE. LOVE. TRAIN!” were completely ineffective. Nobody around here cares. They are AGAINST EACH OTHER, these people in my house.

And so Craig and I developed a summer sanity-keeping strategy, which included a daily yoga class for each of us while the kids were at camp. If I didn’t make it to yoga (which is what happened every day since I’m better at creating strategies than carrying them out) I’d do a little yoga video at home for a few minutes. Like four minutes. Mostly the lady would just say hello and I’d say hello and then I’d get bored and turn it off. But still, it counted. And so, when the kids got home and started fighting, Craig and I would look at each other and smile and take a deep breath together and say, “No problem. Totally not going to freak out. I am So Zen. So Zen.” This was our mantra all summer: “Totally not freaking out. I am So Zen.”

One day, as summer came to a close (which it does every year because Jesus loves us), Amma threw one of her tantrums that we lovingly refer to as “Amma-geddon.” Every once in a while, something goes terribly wrong in Amma’s life (like, Tish breathes too loudly) and Amma throws a tantrum that makes me feel like maybe a demon is actually being exorcised from her body. And when this happens, we place her in her room to go ahead and work it out. We live in Florida, but during these tantrums my parents often call from Virginia to ask how Amma’s doing. Because they can hear her. On this particular day, I let Amma yell in her room for a few minutes, and then I put on my riot gear, opened her door and said, “Honey, as soon as you calm down, I can start your time-out timer, and you’ll be able to join us again. You just need to stop freaking out first.”

Suzanne. That’s what she thought we were saying all summer. I am Suzanne.

She didn’t even question it. She never said: why are are calling yourself Suzanne, mom? Why are you calling yourself Suzanne too, dad? Please God don’t let this be some kind of IQ test.

Yes. Absolutely, friends. You may borrow this mantra whenever you need it. Moms and dads and nannies and all the yelling children: Today — YOU ARE TOTALLY NOT FREAKING OUT. YOU. ARE. SUZANNE.

I decided that I needed to have this mug so Sister made it for me and we added it to our Zazzle store. I like to think of us all calmly sipping together all [interminable] summer long.

And just in case you’d like to put a face with the name, here’s Amma. This is what happened right after I called her “sassy.” I am still preparing the official transcript, but I believe she is saying: “I’m not sassy, girl, I’m not sassy. C’mon. What, what, what? Kick it. What? Word.”

115 Comments

My husband just ordered this for me. Okay, so I posted it directly to his FB timeline and told him that I was still waiting for someone to order it for me. (had previously shared it on my own page!). Dealing with a lot of serious health issues right now in my family and I’m trying desperately to remain zen. Instead, I’ll just be me. 🙂

So, as a Susanne spelled with an extra “s” and mother to an 11-year-old who thinks she knows it all, I supposed my goal is to be “So Sane,” but frankly, insane is a lot more fun! Embrace the chaos of motherhood, child-rearing, working, life!

I needed to read this today. I believe strongly that I have failed at doing summer this year. I haven’t had nearly the fun or done a fraction of the work I’d planned.i need to be SuZzzzzannnneeee
but right now I’m in a funk.

I always tell parents of young children who are constantly fighting, don’t worry. Eventually it calms down once they realize how much more effective they can be by joining forces against you. Then it’s a whole new ball game.

LOVE THIS!!! I’m not Suzanne yet, but maybe I’ll give it another try. I started this summer the exact same way. Then of course life happened. Epilepsy diagnosis of my 6 Year old boy, potty regression ( WHAT!?!?!) of my 4 year old. Hubby decided our upcoming family vacation should be in July and lets just road trip and hit 15 states in 18 days and seriously how many national parks can we really visit??? (But then again we do love the Jr Park Ranger programs) I was no where near Zen around day 6. While we were on this trip our 4 year old decided she would only go by Elly and no longer her full name of Eliana. Oh and she also now lives in New York. (We live in TN) we are now dealing with her loudly correcting everyone who calls her the full name and not the nickname. And she will correct with vigor over and over again. When asked by one friend why she decided to change her name her only response was “well, the world changes.” So I’m waiting on recording a similar video with my sassy pants stepping up and wondering if she’s asking for a fight. Thank you for the laughs and the reminder to all of us reading we are not alone in this crazy, painful, beautiful world of mommydom.

i soooo needed to read this post this morning! I’ve actually just come out with the line to my 7 year old “there are children dying in Syria and you don’t know how lucky you are” after he had a total toddler tantrum over his sister (5) allegedly taking a piece of train track he was using….I mean…there is a massive tote full of pieces for them to SHARE!!! Only 4 weeks of summer left…..and breeeeeaaaaath!! Xxx

Sometimes kids need to learn to occupy themselves without input from an adult. All you need to do is give them supplies and say “Make me something”. They shouldn’t need us (or electronics) to entertain them all the time. But then, I am Suzanne.

Your comment has me laughing so hard I’m crying…….I agree with you on the ‘no adult needed’ thought, though I’ve learned not to ask them to make me something. That’s just asking for trouble. (Marker on walls, self cut hair, my good paper covering the floor in tiny fragments ev-ry-where. You know, ‘projects’) But as you say, you are Suzanne, so maybe that holds a special power over all situations! 😀

G,
What if my kids are 3.5 (yes plural twins) and its been “summer” for almost 4 years!!! I am not zen. I am not Suzanne!!! We pay way too much $$ to send them to preschool for three hours and fifty minutes three days a week!! That is not enough to get me to Suzanne! And appersntly I’m pregnant now so there will be another one with 5 more years until summer is a few months and not my whole entire existence. I am hormonal I am freaking out. I need this “summer” to end. But I’ll try and buy the mug and see if it helps!

This made me laugh so hard, outloud. We just found out we are expecting our second and our first just turned one. All I can think is, wait, I know we said we were ready, but maybe we are jumping the gun a little….. 😉 hang in there momma!

Bahahah Dawn! My twins will be 4 next month but the 10yr old and 6yr old are the ones totally keeping me from the Suzanne status! seriously stop fighting over who didnt flush the toilet just FLUSH THE DAMN TOILET!
But no really you had twins first?… One baby at a time will be a walk in the park 😉

I am totally going to hijack your thread to ask you a question about your audiobook. Is there anyway I can purchase it and the book together? I am a Social Worker and my job allows me to meet some people I would never have crossed paths with, otherwise. Some of these people need to read your book! I want to give your book to some of these people. But then I remember, some of them can’t read very well. And I think they would not try to read your book, but… If they cold hear and see your book, they might realize there is hope for them too. Everyone needs hope. I can’t afford to share both with these ladies, but I want to share your hope.

Well, I am adding to your list of Suzannes, as that is my name, too. I feel your pain sister……. The good news is, they do get older. The bad news is, sometimes they Don’t grow out of it…. (Just kidding)….. 😉

I love this post! We just finished summer over here, can you believe that? School started yesterday. See, you need to move to GA!! Not!!! I really was just stopping by to say hi and tell you that I’m thinking about you! That is all! Love wins especially when you are Suzanne! Xoxo!

I have been reading The Thriving Woman’s Guide to Setting Boundaries this summer. Kim Buck is the author and let me tell you, it’s saving my life this summer! Being able to use her ideas and learning what I don’t have to do for everyone! It’s an amazing read to learn to not become overwhelmed. Her book site is areyouwillingtobeseen.com and it’s so worth the read!

Oh man. That is SO totally me at the beginning of summer. As a teacher I feel like I gave too much of myself to my class during the year and summer is for MY kids. And then summer actually starts. Funny how summer camp makes summer a little more tolerable for all of us! Carry on, Warrior. School begins again in a month!!

And here I thought it was going to be a post about “Crazy Eyes” and Orange is the New Black. Um yeah I might have dragged hubby into Bingewatching the entire three seasons.

I need that mug. Or mantra. Possibly I need to go to summer camp.

I didn’t have major plans for my summer. I certainly never thought the first month was going to throw at me: my now ex-parents trying to take our son from us (they are verifiable MNPD–malignant narcissistic personality disorder). Having to enlist the local police to retrieve him from their house, having them lie to dcf and use them to try and have him taken away, cutting off all contact forever (this can NEVER be a love wins situation). Crying every day, making my beloved long-time Dr tear up when she heard the news. (If you make a Dr cry, you know it’s bad).

And now we all need therapy, especially me and my son. Good times.

The best part of this summer? My children (20,13) hugging me, telling me what am awesome mom I am, how I fought for them, and my friends and other family loving me so hard, not to mention literally feeling like God was sitting next to me during the worst day, feeling like His arm was around me, saying, I’ve got you. It’s going to be ok. God is awesome.

I think of you so much Glennon. You have made such an immense difference in my life. I pray you are getting stronger and feeling healthier every day. You are one of my Yodas. And I love you for that and for who you are.

They are actually suing us and our 20yr old daughter for the car they got her for xmas. She had a trust acct that was going to pay for part but like all things govt, it has been impossible to get them to send the money.

So needing a narcissistic fix, THIS was their solution. Serving our 20yo daughter with a summons. Never mind they never wanted her to work and said they would take care of things.

Some one sane, Glennon, anyone, please adopt us? Our family is hurting.

I put things on my calendar– library events! water park days! swimming after work! and much more!

I just deleted them all, because we’ve got 2.5 weeks left and haven’t made it to one thing once. But we’ve done a vacation, we’ve sent the 12 year old to church camp, we’ve visited my mom, we’ve swam at the pool we bought a membership to twice (so you know, got our $ worth. Not.), the oldest did a bit of strength conditioning….. and they’ve had 800 hours of screen time and 100 hours of lego time.

And as much as I cheered the start of summer and not arguing over homework and school problems, I cheer the start of school! YAY! Let’s go! Let’s do this!

Hilarious! This is not the first time I’ve been silently laughing in bed and the shaking has woken up Hubby. He says, “I can’t tell if your quietly laughing or crying with those tears running down your face.” I have to admit, your heartfelt, honest writing does have a pendulum effect on my emotions. 🙂 I never know which way it’s gonna go…tonight, it’s laughing. Thanks for being you Glennon!

OMG, I AM Suzanne, lol!
Ugh, when I was single I LOVED summer, now I DREAD it. Weather is awesome, but very little time to myself. Battling to keep my son from staring at various screens all summer, scrambling to think of activities that don’t cost too much. My friends with kids and all my family live out of town, in-laws useless, it’s a struggle to keep him entertained. Thank God for the $$ we put aside for a couple of weeks of camp. Then I am happy to see him and happy to play games all evening with him.
Thanks, Glennon for this, made me laugh out loud…..

i love this post! I’m equally conflicted about summer. I had very high expectations, I even created a daily schedule. But the we had back to back trips as soon as school got out, then there was VBS, then 2 weeks of swim lessons. Now, all of a sudden, we’re 4 weeks from school starting and I have only done one fun thing with the kids! It doesn’t help that my 2 yr old is potty learning, which wasn’t happening yet when I made the summer schedule. But, ugh!
And my oldest is a super-sassy 7 yr old girl…who mixes with her 4 yr old brother like oil & water.
I am Suzanne! I like it. And I’m going to use it!! Thanks G! ❤️

This is my life. This will be my new mantra. I’m pretty sure my kids are going to look at me like I’ve lost my mind… or that I’m so confused I have to constantly tell myself my name so I don’t forget it.

Oh, Glennon. This was so incredibly timely and needed in my world today. I’ve spent the day wondering when, exactly, it will be that my now 8-year-old son will (a) put me into the hospital with one of his temper tantrums, (b) end up in juvie, (c) burn the house down literally, (d) all of the above. I could have used that Suzanne mug today; maybe with it I would not feel like I’ve totally failed as a parent. Thank you for these words that have made me feel just a little more okay.

Amy,
I remember looking at my darling child when she was 8 years old and this was our conversation: 8 yr old “What are you looking at?” Me: “Just trying to figure out where my sweet baby girl went.” 8 yr old “She’s gone and she’s NEVER coming back.” What do you say to that?! Nothing, absolutely nothing, and calmly walk away. It will get better, I promise. That 8 yr old is now a 24 yr old college graduate (also played collegiate soccer)and FREAKIN POLICE OFFICER!! She laughs when I tell that story because she simply can’t remember EVER being that sassy!!

I’m sending my last kid off to college this fall so those endless summer days were a while ago…still I remember, “One cultural day trip every two weeks!”, was my battle cry for years…till I finally said screw it and was just happy when they went outside!

You are absolutely correct…just let the kids go outside. They don’t need more structure, planning, activities, camps, pinterest fantasies during summer. I think its us parents who are the ones coming up with these rules and pressures on ourselves to achieve this or that. Let the kids go OUTSIDE. Play with the dirt, grass, water. Play with their bikes, scooters, skateboards. Draw on the sidewalk, on the walls, on their arms. Just let them be…

I do a few minutes of yoga each day and its my lifeline. Its helped with body and soul. I think you’re going through what happens with everyone — fantasy summer vs. real summer. It happened to me all the time when my sons were younger. Looking back, fantasy happened 10% of the time and reality the other 90%. Somehow if you’re ready for that ratio, it makes life a little easier.

Oh you make me feel so normal…thank you!!! We, too, are having a summer of unfulfilled Pinterest promises. I had such high hopes! But alas, it’s late July already and my plans for magical memories have gone to crap. Clearly it’s too late in the summer to carry out those pipe dreams now, so I suppose we will fill the remaining weeks of summer continuing on our incessant fighting, YouTube watching, oh so boring journey…

I have three kids and was a Mom before Pinterest started. THANK GOD! When I learned of it I knew my obsessive tendencies, I already had my third kid so I had mellowed ever so slightly, and I was learning to be nicer to myself. I absolutely refused to join Pinterest (and still haven’t) because I knew it would simply make me feel “less than”. I can get crazy enough about a lot of things without thinking I am a failure for not making personalized Halloween, Holiday and Valentine treat bags for my child to send home with their entire class. In the ends the kids don’t care about cutesy signs, perfect party invitations and themed photo shoots and super perfect birthday cakes and themed snacks at their parties. When I decided I did most of that stuff for other Moms and my kids really didn’t care either way, life got easier. They just want to be kids, have fun, and have cake. Whether it’s a designer birthday cake, a Costco cake, a made from scratch by Mom cake, or a cake made with a mix by Mom with sloppy frosting – IT IS CAKE. 🙂

I just found you too and am so, so glad. THIS POST and the other carpe diem post are just so spot on. I’ve forwarded this to my hubby…. who is home all summer long with our 3 daughters who are also in fight club mode. He doesn’t think anyone else’s children are acting like this and then there’s this little gift to us.

Plus I totally envision you on the coach begging them to get on the love train.
Did I mention how good this was? Cuz it totally is. k –
Love to you… hoping you are feeling better.

I need this mantra. I GET this. I homeschool my children and the start of a summer and a school year are ushered in with equal enthusiasm and happy expectations on my part, but within a short amount of time I’m repeating things like “I am suzanne.” (Serenity Now. Speak with Kindness. Use Your Words.) I am still working out how to be an extreme introvert (INFJ, all the way over on the I scale) and be with my children so much of the time. A mothers helper helps (not mothers little helper, mind you, unless you count pots of earl grey and episodes of Daniel Tiger). But I need more to stay Suzanne.

I am a teacher, fast approaching the end of blessed summer. I am ordering that mug today to remind myself for the next 9 months to just be Suzanne. No need to freak out. Next summer is coming, and I can be Leslie again as parents get to spend the quality daylight hours with their precious ones. It’s good that we have summertime to learn to really appreciate each other’s work as we grow these children into bigger people who can take over pretending to know how to be adults.

Teaching preschool was intense, y’all. Intense joy, intense sad, intense angry, intense potty….so much intense. One little guy just could not get on the cooperation train after many requests to behave. Finally, exasperated, he shouted at me “But Miss Kimmy, I don’t even know how to be a haive!” Nope. He did not. But he learned.

This is hilarious!! I just read this aloud (giggling and barely able to snort out the words) to my coworkers and we all died laughing. This is great! You are great! Thanks for keeping it real. We are all in love with your paint color too…can you share the beautiful color?

Hi G –
Struggling with perhaps something unrelated to this post, but bothersome in general. Read the letter below in the “back to school” newsletter from the headmaster of our daughter’s christian school. Feeling like love was lost in the response, worried about the emotion and content that will permeate chapel and times of biblical study during the school year, but mostly disappointed in this clearly personal political venting and its place in the school newsletter. The greatest struggle is how to respond, because remaining quiet is not an option. How to separate our very different perspectives on some of the issues from our overall disappointment and feeling that our Christianity is being judged/questioned. Our daughter is being raised to approach decisions and treatment of others through the filter of “What does love require?” The sentiment in this letter seems to communicate quite the opposite.

Help!
N.

“I pray this message finds each of you warm and well. Excited as I am about the new school year, I must admit that this summer has left me pondering the direction of our nation. In case you’ve been away from the news lately, let me summarize a few things that have occurred since school ended in May.
• Five men and women on the Supreme Court granted themselves the power to create a new constitutional right. They then exercised that power by rewriting a definition of marriage that has existed for thousands of years; a definition that spans every continent and virtually every known system of religious belief.
• After receiving the U.S. Medal of Freedom in 2002, a beloved actor and comedian stuns the nation by admitting in a sworn deposition to heinous acts against women. When our President is asked about revoking the honor, he states there is no mechanism to accomplish this but at the same press conference, he proudly defends the accomplishment of a very complicated and highly questionable deal with Iran – an avowed enemy of U.S. interests and the State of Israel.
• ESPN awards a former U.S. Olympian with an award for courage when, after living for sixty-five years as a man and fathering six children, he decides to begin living life as though he were a female.
In each of these instances, ostensibly reasonable men and women have reached decisions that would have seemed incomprehensible only a generation ago. Absurd and frustrating as these and other developments in our nation may be, we shouldn’t be surprised. As believers, we’ve been given an advance copy of this novel and we know the last chapter of the story. Spoiler alert…God wins.
As a faculty and staff, we’ve been reading Paul’s letter to the Romans this summer. If you haven’t visited this classic lately, I highly commend it to you. Among Paul’s exhortations he reminds the church in Rome that “…the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” For anything to be revealed there must be contrast – light from dark, fact from fiction and truth from lie. The fallen world and those in unbelief are staking their claim in powerful and unprecedented ways. Will we do the same? Will the body of Christ have the courage to stand for Truth? I certainly pray that we will. And I pray that we will never give one inch of ground in our quest to equip your children with the truth they need to join in that battle. May the God of hope strengthen us for the days ahead.”

I have to agree with you – there is no love in that letter. What would have been even better, is a letter explaining how the school would be demonstrating God’s love through service projects this year. I disagree with my Catholic church about several big things that have been making news this year. And I respect the rights of people to believe what they want to. But wouldn’t it be great if all religious groups focused on doing what they *should* be doing instead of what they think others *shouldn’t* be doing?

Hope you won’t take offense to a response from a total stranger, but I can offer one thing. Your daughter is enrolled in a private school, and it’s a Christian school. So while you may not agree with the way your headmaster chose to share her thoughts and opinions based on actual news (with a newsletter), it is her right. Not sure what bothers you more: that fact that she CAN do this or the fact that you disagree with her “style of Christianity.”

I think what she disagrees with is that she wants the foundation of her children’s religious beliefs and education to be founded in love!!!! The letter is absolutely within the headmaster’s right to write but her concern is that it has a very angry undertone and she does not want her children to learn hatred or bigotry from school but rather understanding, compassion and love!!!! The problem with the letter is it appears very very judgmental the headmaster clearly disagrees with all of the stories heir she is recounting and he or she is not coming at the situation from a place of love where it is possible to disagree with someone’s decision without shaming them…

Can your child go to school elsewhere? Sounds like this headmaster enjoys sharing his opinions and that students too will be politicized, which is quite a different thing from Christian formation. Blessings to you.

Hi Nicole,
Tina Fey once wrote that if someone else’s position/belief is in between you and your goal, do something. But if not, you can always just step around it and keep moving toward your goal. (Not if someone is, say, getting their lunch money stolen, but sometimes you have to not engage. e.g., internet trolls.)

Will the head of school’s beliefs get in the way of you being able to raise your daughter the way you wish? Has he hired teachers who are going to perpetuate these beliefs directly in the classroom? Will he be addressing the kids during all-school meetings regularly? Will there be “biblical” lessons against the GLBTQ community? If so… the sad reality is there is probably not much you can do to change that. You can choose to leave her in the school and give her a big dose of your beliefs at home, knowing that kids looks to parents for guidance more than anyone else (until adolescence when they actually look to friends…). Or move schools. Or homeschool.

If you don’t necessarily think the head of school’s beliefs will get in the way of raising her the way you want, then stay calm and Be Suzanne. 🙂 In that case, I wonder what you can do to be an example of love within the school? Richard Rohr says, “The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better. Don’t bother being against anybody, anything, any group or institution. If needed practice simple avoidance or quiet non-cooperation. We need positive energy over negative criticism of anything.”

If your positive energy won’t even be welcome in the school, it may be another sign to shake the dust off your sandals and move on. Trust your gut feelings.

My daughter attended private school thru 8th grade. I had stopped attending church due to issues that affected me as a bisexual woman. However, we continued to raise our children to love all, respect, and defend those in need. They are amazing kids who have so much love and compassion, despite encountering bigoted people who do not speak for me as a Christian. Personally I wish we had changed schools, but my daughter went into a public hs, my son is in public school, and they were not harmed by people like that headmaster. If anything they are more outspoken, and really stand up for the rights of all.

Think about why you have them there as opposed to public school. Pray. Listen to your heart. You know your kids best. And while I don’t blame you for wanting to respond, people like him are driven by hate and fear and very rarely can you have an intelligent conversation about those things. Personally, I would take my kids out with a letter why. My kids were far happier in public school, and we don’t have the best schools. Hth.

Don’t worry Glennon! Those temper tantrums, ya, the ones we took photos of, the ones that stumped even my amazing parents… We can do hard things because as my “Mazik” or “Waterloo” grew into her 20s and moved out, she became sweet (most of the time) and my warmest hugger and most verbally loving (most of the time). If I need to cry, it’s her shoulder I can cry on and she won’t judge. She’ll just let me soak her shirt with my tears and tell me it’s okay. Then she gives ME reaffirming words.

I know!!! Isn’t that amazing when our kids, growing older, can mother us?? My daughter is truly someone I admire and not just cuz I’m her mom. I just said how it was a bit unfair for her to grow up into such a cool person then go of to college lol.

The summer our daughter was 4 she was running circles around the house yelling “Horse! Horse! Horse!…” endlessly. My hubby stepped in front of her and told her he didn’t want to hear the the word horse one more time. She calmly walked away and peeked her head around the corner and yelled, “Pony!” That’s the moment we knew we had met our match!

Hugs mama. I remember that day like it was yesterday…my daughter starts her third year in a month. It gets a little easier. Be prepared for the spats that come from her gaining independence and not wanting to feel like a little kid when he comes home. We fought a bit that first year. But then I got Suzanne and now things are awesome (even though I freaked when she told me she was staying at a tree house for a few days until she can move into her apartment. I made her link me. It’s cool.)

This is great. I was just telling a friend of mine that my daughter’s first complete sentence at about age 2 was “I am angry.” She’s 8 now. You might be able to guess what the last 6 years have been like. 🙂

Just posted on Instagram how I am totally fucking
Loosing it! House cleaning today – a12 year old and
Twin 7yr olds do know how to help! No replies on
Instagram- but I found your blog today. I want to be
Suzanne!!!

This reminds me of a friend of mine who was having a conversation about baptism with her two young children. She asked them what baptism meant and her young son says, “It means it washes your skin away.” After a beat, my friend kind of half giggled and said, “What? What did you say? I didn’t hear you…what does baptism mean?” He repeated what he said, “It washes all your dirty skin away.” Love the innocence of children…and yes, baptism does wash all of our dirty s(k)in away darling…it certainly does. 🙂 Suzanne on!

You just described my 7 year old (2nd child – middle child) daughter to a “T” — the description of the tantrums could have been observed exactly the same in our home! Always glad to hear of other mom’s surviving the same war I am!
I AM SUZANNE….. I like it and will remember it and repeat it! 😉

I die at the cuteness and hilarity of hollering a misheard saying during a tantrum. I’m pretty sure the next time I’m feeling overwhelmed, I will simply tell myself “I am Suzanne,” and then I’ll giggle and move along with myself.